Bhoothakaalam

Bhoothakaalam, directed by Rahul Sadasivan, is a Malayalam horror film about teacher Asha and her unemployed son Vinu, who face escalating supernatural events in their rented home after the death of their mother. The film skipped theaters entirely and went straight to the SonyLIV streaming platform. The director has said he wanted an ordinary looking single story house in a familiar neighborhood rather than a clichéd mansion or abandoned estate, so the house itself becomes almost a character in the film. The film uses psychological horror as an allegory for grief, trauma, and mental illness. Revathi won Best Actress at the Kerala State Film Awards for the role. Who it's for: anyone curious about a Malayalam horror film turning a haunted house into a metaphor for grief and mental illness, released straight to streaming without a theatrical run. Who it's not for: those wanting a classic, gothic mansion atmosphere, since the director deliberately chose an ordinary, familiar house instead.